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The NFL season is quickly approaching. Several former Oregon Ducks will be battling for roster spots or increased roles with their teams during training camp. However, a couple of former Oregon passers have established themselves among the league’s best.
Justin Herbert and Bo Nix will battle within the AFC West for the third year in a row, and both have plenty to play for this season. Former Oregon quarterback Tyler Shough, who later transferred to Texas Tech and Louisville, is also looking to make a leap forward in his second NFL season.
The Ducks have established a reputation as a program that can develop quarterbacks into stars at the next level. Marcus Mariota, Oregon’s lone Heisman winner, is getting ready for his 12th professional season, operating as the backup for the Washington Commanders after being the second overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Current Oregon quarterback Dante Moore could follow as the next top-five pick for the Ducks.
Pro Football Focus released its annual ranking of all 32 starting quarterbacks across the NFL, and the placement of Oregon’s former signal-callers was a bit surprising. Let’s take a look at where Herbert, Nix and Shough fell in the pecking order.
Herbert ranks No. 7 in PFF’s list. Ahead of him are Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes and Matthew Stafford, none of which are surprising. Jordan Love, who was selected in the same draft class as Herbert, ranks one spot ahead of the Chargers’ quarterback, which is certainly interesting.
Love has led the Packers to a playoff victory, which is the biggest knock against Herbert’s resume. However, does one playoff win make Love a better quarterback than Herbert? You be the judge.
2025 was a down year for Herbert, even though he threw for 3,727 yards, 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. The former Offensive Rookie of the Year was tasked with managing a Chargers offense that lacked any protection up front after both of the team’s starting tackles went down with injuries.
Fortunately, the Chargers addressed the trenches this offseason, and Herbert appears to be in a much better position to succeed with his weapons on the outside and the addition of offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, who has been very involved in changing some of Herbert’s habits this offseason.
“Herbert posted a career-low 73.0 PFF passing grade in 2025, including a career-worst 27.5 passing grade in the Chargers' Wild Card loss to the Patriots,” PFF’s Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick wrote. “There were legitimate reasons for his decline, though. Los Angeles earned the second-worst team pass-blocking grade (50.6) after both franchise tackles, Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, suffered season-ending injuries. As a result, Herbert was pressured on 288 dropbacks, the most in the NFL.
“Even after a disappointing season, Herbert's 91.2 PFF grade over the past three years ranks fifth among NFL quarterbacks, while his 91.0 passing grade from a clean pocket ranked sixth in 2025. With Slater and Alt expected back at full strength, Herbert is well-positioned to bounce back in a major way in 2026.”
Last year, PFF ranked Nix at No. 19 on this list. After a season that saw Nix avoid the sophomore slump, leading the Broncos to their first AFC West championship since 2015 and return to the AFC Conference Championship game, you might think that Nix would see a big boost heading into his third season.
Nope, not this year.
Nix still ranks No. 19 on this year’s edition of the list, trailing Houston’s C.J. Stroud and Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield and just ahead of Carolina’s Bryce Young. Nix was the sixth quarterback taken in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, which also included Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye. While those three have had prominent moments early in their careers, Nix is the only passer who has made the playoffs in his first two seasons.
Nix took a huge step forward last season, throwing for 3,931 yards and racking up 30 total touchdowns. The Broncos were on the cusp of a trip to the Super Bowl before an ankle injury in the playoffs ended Nix’s season early.
After an offseason of rehabbing and recovering from the injury, Nix is set to return to Denver fully healthy and ready to make another run. The Broncos still have one of the NFL’s best defenses and added speedy receiver Jaylen Waddle to the offense alongside Nix’s favorite targets, Cortland Sutton and Troy Franklin.
“Nix has developed into a quality starting quarterback,” Wasserman and Chadwick wrote for PFF. “He led the Broncos to the AFC championship game but missed it after suffering a fractured ankle the previous week. Nix’s 89.3 PFF passing grade from a clean pocket ranked seventh among qualifying quarterbacks last season, while his 77.6 career PFF passing grade ranks 14th among qualifiers. He also displayed a veteran-like ability to work through his progressions, ranking third in PFF passing grade on throws to his next read (78.1).”
Shough surprised the league after he led the Saints to five wins in his nine starts to end the season, leaving New Orleans with some optimism heading into 2026 in the NFC South, which is always up for grabs. On PFF’s list, Shough ranks No. 24, ahead of fellow second-year quarterbacks Jaxson Dart (No. 25) and Cam Ward (No. 29).
Although Shough struggled at Oregon and eventually moved on, his experience at the college level made him a quick study in the NFL and translated into early success, despite a lack of weapons around him. Now, with Chris Olave and Jordyn Tyson, who the Saints selected early in the 2026 NFL Draft, the former Duck is in position to lead the Saints back to the postseason.
Shough threw for 2,384 yards and 10 touchdowns with six interceptions last season, making a late rally that allowed him to finish second in the race for Offensive Rookie of the Year. Since leaving Oregon, where Shough struggled to be consistent and protect the football, he has rounded into a solid quarterback.
“Shough displayed the same ball security in the NFL that he showed during his lone season at Louisville,” PFF wrote. “His 2.0% turnover-worthy play rate tied for the fourth-lowest mark among qualifying quarterbacks. From Week 8 through the end of the regular season, Shough ranked 10th among qualifying quarterbacks in PFF passing grade (77.9). That came without the benefit of a sustainable running game or play-action passing attack. Improved offensive balance should create better opportunities for Shough to succeed in 2026.”
Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Where Herbert, Nix fall in PFF’s NFL quarterback rankings
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Justin Herbert and Bo Nix will battle within the AFC West for the third year in a row, and both have plenty to play for this season. Former Oregon quarterback Tyler Shough, who later transferred to Texas Tech and Louisville, is also looking to make a leap forward in his second NFL season.
The Ducks have established a reputation as a program that can develop quarterbacks into stars at the next level. Marcus Mariota, Oregon’s lone Heisman winner, is getting ready for his 12th professional season, operating as the backup for the Washington Commanders after being the second overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Current Oregon quarterback Dante Moore could follow as the next top-five pick for the Ducks.
Pro Football Focus released its annual ranking of all 32 starting quarterbacks across the NFL, and the placement of Oregon’s former signal-callers was a bit surprising. Let’s take a look at where Herbert, Nix and Shough fell in the pecking order.
Justin Herbert
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Herbert ranks No. 7 in PFF’s list. Ahead of him are Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes and Matthew Stafford, none of which are surprising. Jordan Love, who was selected in the same draft class as Herbert, ranks one spot ahead of the Chargers’ quarterback, which is certainly interesting.
Love has led the Packers to a playoff victory, which is the biggest knock against Herbert’s resume. However, does one playoff win make Love a better quarterback than Herbert? You be the judge.
2025 was a down year for Herbert, even though he threw for 3,727 yards, 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. The former Offensive Rookie of the Year was tasked with managing a Chargers offense that lacked any protection up front after both of the team’s starting tackles went down with injuries.
Fortunately, the Chargers addressed the trenches this offseason, and Herbert appears to be in a much better position to succeed with his weapons on the outside and the addition of offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, who has been very involved in changing some of Herbert’s habits this offseason.
“Herbert posted a career-low 73.0 PFF passing grade in 2025, including a career-worst 27.5 passing grade in the Chargers' Wild Card loss to the Patriots,” PFF’s Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick wrote. “There were legitimate reasons for his decline, though. Los Angeles earned the second-worst team pass-blocking grade (50.6) after both franchise tackles, Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, suffered season-ending injuries. As a result, Herbert was pressured on 288 dropbacks, the most in the NFL.
“Even after a disappointing season, Herbert's 91.2 PFF grade over the past three years ranks fifth among NFL quarterbacks, while his 91.0 passing grade from a clean pocket ranked sixth in 2025. With Slater and Alt expected back at full strength, Herbert is well-positioned to bounce back in a major way in 2026.”
Bo Nix
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Last year, PFF ranked Nix at No. 19 on this list. After a season that saw Nix avoid the sophomore slump, leading the Broncos to their first AFC West championship since 2015 and return to the AFC Conference Championship game, you might think that Nix would see a big boost heading into his third season.
Nope, not this year.
Nix still ranks No. 19 on this year’s edition of the list, trailing Houston’s C.J. Stroud and Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield and just ahead of Carolina’s Bryce Young. Nix was the sixth quarterback taken in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, which also included Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye. While those three have had prominent moments early in their careers, Nix is the only passer who has made the playoffs in his first two seasons.
Nix took a huge step forward last season, throwing for 3,931 yards and racking up 30 total touchdowns. The Broncos were on the cusp of a trip to the Super Bowl before an ankle injury in the playoffs ended Nix’s season early.
After an offseason of rehabbing and recovering from the injury, Nix is set to return to Denver fully healthy and ready to make another run. The Broncos still have one of the NFL’s best defenses and added speedy receiver Jaylen Waddle to the offense alongside Nix’s favorite targets, Cortland Sutton and Troy Franklin.
“Nix has developed into a quality starting quarterback,” Wasserman and Chadwick wrote for PFF. “He led the Broncos to the AFC championship game but missed it after suffering a fractured ankle the previous week. Nix’s 89.3 PFF passing grade from a clean pocket ranked seventh among qualifying quarterbacks last season, while his 77.6 career PFF passing grade ranks 14th among qualifiers. He also displayed a veteran-like ability to work through his progressions, ranking third in PFF passing grade on throws to his next read (78.1).”
Tyler Shough
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Shough surprised the league after he led the Saints to five wins in his nine starts to end the season, leaving New Orleans with some optimism heading into 2026 in the NFC South, which is always up for grabs. On PFF’s list, Shough ranks No. 24, ahead of fellow second-year quarterbacks Jaxson Dart (No. 25) and Cam Ward (No. 29).
Although Shough struggled at Oregon and eventually moved on, his experience at the college level made him a quick study in the NFL and translated into early success, despite a lack of weapons around him. Now, with Chris Olave and Jordyn Tyson, who the Saints selected early in the 2026 NFL Draft, the former Duck is in position to lead the Saints back to the postseason.
Shough threw for 2,384 yards and 10 touchdowns with six interceptions last season, making a late rally that allowed him to finish second in the race for Offensive Rookie of the Year. Since leaving Oregon, where Shough struggled to be consistent and protect the football, he has rounded into a solid quarterback.
“Shough displayed the same ball security in the NFL that he showed during his lone season at Louisville,” PFF wrote. “His 2.0% turnover-worthy play rate tied for the fourth-lowest mark among qualifying quarterbacks. From Week 8 through the end of the regular season, Shough ranked 10th among qualifying quarterbacks in PFF passing grade (77.9). That came without the benefit of a sustainable running game or play-action passing attack. Improved offensive balance should create better opportunities for Shough to succeed in 2026.”
Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Where Herbert, Nix fall in PFF’s NFL quarterback rankings
Continue reading...
